


Inspired

by silversymphony



Series: qmiverse [1]
Category: Super Junior, Super Junior-M
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-12
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-06-01 20:06:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6534550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silversymphony/pseuds/silversymphony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zhou Mi's career had begun thanks to the love of the music by Cho Kyuhyun. It was by sheer luck that, as he was scouted into the industry, he would wind up in the same company as Kyuhyun was in. But his expectations of meeting his idol quickly fell short as he found out just what type of a person Kyuhyun truly was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A solitary light lit the seemingly empty stage. A tall man of the tender age of twenty stepped slowly into its brightness. His focus on the microphone stand in front of him. He curled the fingers of one hand on the microphone and the others on the top of the stand lightly. The melancholic sounds of a ballad began to play. His voice gathered strength as the lithe tones of the piano ushered him along. A pause. Lifting his gaze away from the microphone, he spotted the signs with his name on them. Zhou Mi. His time has arrived. His shy smile beckoned the screams of a few girls. As his smile broadened, the song began to change tempo. It was the afternoon of his first stage as a solo artist. He was about to achieve goals he had never thought of in his wildest dreams to become possible. 

°°°°°

Everything was a whirlwind to Zhou Mi. From being discovered at a talent show, to being scouted, to being appraised left and right. It was something that could have torn down someone mentally. The judgemental comments, the mentions of ways he could adjust to this or that; physically at times, the ways he could improve. But the one thing that became the clearest thing in his mind was the luck of the draw: he had inadvertently landed on the same company of the man who had been his idol for years. Cho Kyuhyun. And there had been many an opportunity when they, both busy with their entourage, had at the very least crossed paths. Zhou Mi having to excuse himself momentarily to catch his breath and thank the higher powers for letting him be able to have landed with this exact company. But it wasn’t just proving himself as a fan, it was also a dream that he had grown so fond of. He had been praised by so many for his voice and sheer raw talent in his stage presence. The last night he had spent gathered with friends and family, many sent him off that night with many great wishes that his career took him to great places and that he sign many of his albums personally to them. Zhou Mi often smiled at those warm memories. 

His journey in starhood hadn’t been something extremely simple as he quickly realized when he was being judged by others. One particular memory had stayed with Zhou Mi greatly. It was the way that Zhou Mi had had his first meeting with the man the had seen as a role model for the majority of his final schooling years and it wasn't something that had gone done with the pleasantness of "hi, Mr. Cho, I'm so pleased to finally get the chance to meet you. My name is Zhou Mi. I'm a big fan. Your music has been a great inspiration in my life and it's the reason why I am now able to finally get the chance to perform for so many. I hope I get the chance to experience at least a fraction of the love you have for your career" - no, it sure wasn’t that scenario at all. It had mostly been a meeting in which his offered hand to shake was left hanging and the scoff that came his way as he uttered "I'm a big fan" was sorely met with a harsh and disbelieving look and words that told Zhou Mi that he was a nobody that would wash up in due time. His belief system shaken and the image of the idol he had loved for so long simply fell to the floor along with the pieces of his shattered heart.

Zhou Mi’s manager had gone to great lengths to try to get Zhou Mi practically back to life after that horrible encounter. Zhou Mi had run to his dressing room and had cried his eyes out that night. “Please don’t take his words to heart, Zhou Mi. You wouldn’t believe of the tales of horror I’ve heard from people who have had the displeasure to work with him. He isn’t the friendliest of human beings and frankly, I do question why his career is still going so strong within the company.” Jinsoo sighed and passed yet another tissue to his little rising star. He watched as Zhou Mi hiccupped a sob and dabbed away at his tears. “Don’t let bumps along this messy road get you down so easily, Mi. You’re here for yourself and now your fans. Take everything in stride. Learn. Absorb. Become an even better artist than he has even been and then throw these words back at his face when he has become a nothing to this industry.” 

“But he isn’t a nothing,” Zhou Mi mumbled as he hugged his knees into his chest. 

°°°°°

At the ripe age of thirty-one, Kyuhyun had felt like he was at the peak of his success. This peak felt like both a blessing and a curse at times especially when he was looked at as the “elder” to guide every wannabe singer that happened to be the next “it” thing to his company. The newer kid the company had scouted from China had been no exception. Sure, his Korean had gotten remarkably better since the first time they had both met but he was still the big doe-eyed child that simply annoyed him to no end with his beaming personality. 

Kyuhyun had been called in by the CEO this particular day to be told that he was to fill in the role of being a mentor for Zhou Mi. He put on his best fake smile as he cringed internally at the news but made sure to let it be known to everyone that he was thrilled to be taking a protegee under his wings. Closing the door behind him after the meeting, his smile grew dark and he all but stormed out of the company’s building. This blatant disrespect is getting old, he thought as he slipped into his car in the basement. It was like trying to get an old record to keep playing long after the scratches and time had screwed it over so forcefully. 

“Why would you even poke a sleeping lion? Me of all people having to help out rookies like him? What a joke! And they’re usually gone before their first year even ends! This just wastes my time and talent that could be better focused somewhere else,” Kyuhyun whined to his manager over the phone. He heard the other man sigh at the end of the line and he could see him rubbing away at his temples as he usually did whenever he had grown exasperated with Kyuhyun. 

“Kyuhyun, you know better that this is just a publicity stunt to get them acknowledged by the public. Everyone respects you and looks up to you and this is why you’re always looked upon for things like these.”

“It’s ridiculous and a waste of my time! I’m busy filming dramas and working on the next album and feeling extremely exhausted by everything and yet I have to take time out of my life to guide someone I could care less about?” Kyuhyun raged on the phone as he merged through the lanes of traffic in his car. 

“You know you have to look good for your fans, Kyuhyun. Please just take this in stride and be kind to the kid. As far as I know, he is - or more likely was given the unfortunate times you two have met - a fan of yours. It would boost your popularity by ten-fold,” his manager croaked on the other line.

“This is stupid and inane, Gook, and do make sure that it’s the last time I’m stuck with such a foolish task,” Kyuhyun said as he didn’t even have the courtesy to hear his manager continue to try to persuade him about his current state of affairs and ended their call abruptly. It really wasn’t fair for him, a world renown singer, to take the time away from his busy life to guide children along in their careers. 

 

°°°°°

Besides the bumps along the road, Zhou Mi was still enthralled and enamored with everything that came along with being an artist. It was so interesting to him being on the other side of the stage when he had seen Kyuhyun and a few other favored artists as a fan with the others. He was often far too giddy to go to sleep each night when he had a stage to perform the next day and so his manager became one to try his best - and fail - at making him a proper sleeping schedule. Zhou Mi had often been the first one to arrive on set and always greeted everyone as cheerfully as in-humanly possible. He was also very in tune with his fans and often played around with them. Zhou Mi had to make sure to take note of the fans that were there often and he made sure that they all in some way, shape or form had at least a little encounter with him to go on and tell the rest of the fans about. He had much pride in the fact that if he followed his tag on Instagram, he would read the stories of fangirls proclaiming how happy they had been to have had the moment to get the picture with him. It was strange, being a star, but it was also something he was so welcoming of. 

The vocal lessons that continued even as he grew to be more of a topic of interest amongst the media, the interviews that came along with it all, had Zhou Mi calling his mother on a constant basis to let her know of all the happenings that came along. “Mama! I met your favorite actor! He was such a gentleman! We talked about life as a Chinese actor here in Korea and I got so many tips from him! Guess what, Mama?” 

His mother chuckled on the other end of the line, “what is it, sweetie?” 

“I talked about you with him and told him how enamored you were with him that you even expressed your want that if he ever asked, you would run away with him!” Zhou Mi’s giggles overshadowed the protesting embarrassment that came from his mother. It was nice to have this budding relationship with her still seeing that they were all each other had had for years. 

 

“So! Just when are you going to hook me up and invite me to go meet up with the celebrities?” Ryeowook whined in Zhou Mi’s ear one night. 

“Ah! Wookie, I’m so sorry! Everything’s so whirlwind and I’m just so flabbergasted by absolutely everything we have to do! You know how we’ve been to see recordings together?” Ryeowook’s hum replied in an affirmative tone. “It’s even crazier backstage! Well, not crazy… Just kind of extremely boring? But! I do get to wander around and certain singers pull me aside from time to time. Say, I bet you totally want to come along so that you can meet your favorite girl from Girl’s Day!” 

Ryeowook all but squeaked from his end of the call, “I could do that?” 

“Yes! You can meet a lot of people, really. I do see some singers bring along extra people from time to time. It’s such a curious thing to watch a lot of friends of theirs being so starstruck. Hell! Even I wind up with my mouth feeling as dry as the Sahara after I get the chance to shake the hands of certain artists... “ Zhou Mi pouted at his phone, “I’m still such a rookie! Everything is so new and I make the smallest mistakes over everything and the producers have their own mentalities and are too easy to upset too. I’ve had other singers come up to me and give me tips, though! I really, really appreciate that of them. 

“Everything sounds so rough… Hey, Mi?”

“Hmm?” 

“You know that I’ve really super proud of you, right? Even if everything sounds so scary from what you tell me, you’re always such a ball of sunshine in the interviews that I watch every now and then. Hell, even Hyukjae’s sister winds up squealing too much over the fact that she in fact knows Zhou Mi personally. You should hear her ramble on and on about you. Kinda hard to let anyone else in,” Ryeowook’s mumbling trailed off and Zhou Mi could only smile at the thought. 

“You really should try to confess your feelings to her one of these days, Wook.”

“But women are so hard to understand sometimes,” Ryeowook wined. “And you know how overprotective Hyukjae is when it comes to her.” 

“We shall make sure that one of the girls from Girl’s Day makes you theirs then!” 

Ryeowook’s shaky laughter often calmed Zhou Mi’s nerves. Truth was, Jinsoo had told him that afternoon that he was to become Kyuhyun’s protege per the company’s wishes. Zhou Mi couldn’t get rid of the image of Kyuhyun’s great disapproval of him when they had finally met. That night was restless, full of dreams of Kyuhyun - in various forms - telling Zhou Mi what a disappointment as a singer he was. When morning came, he tried to not take to heart all the demeaning words that dream-Kyuhyun had told him time and time again.  
°°°°°

It was on a Thursday night that Jinsoo had told Zhou Mi that he would be meeting with Kyuhyun to talk business. Zhou Mi had gone through several changes of clothes to try not to look either far too overdressed or too casual. He often complained at Jinsoo that he would have wanted more of a warning when it came to these things seeing as this meeting in particular was to take place without their managers. Alone with Kyuhyun. Zhou Mi gulped down the hammering in his heart. With everything bad that had transpired between them, Zhou Mi was still deep down that earnest fan as well as a colleague. And now, becoming his protege, what was he to do to live up to Kyuhyun’s expectations? That is, if he even had any to begin with.

 

Zhou Mi sat in the solitary room of the restaurant he was to meet Kyuhyun at. His black turtleneck all but seemingly too tight against his throat, his black leather jacket hung on the empty chair besides him as he tapped anxiously on the floor with the tips of his shoes, fingers fidgety as they rested on the table. At the sight of the waitress walking into the room, he immediately stood as he saw Kyuhyun trailing behind her. He watched as Kyuhyun was all smiles and compliments at the young hostess but his smile all but disappeared when he had finally sat himself in front of Zhou Mi. 

“Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to come and meet with me,” Zhou Mi tentatively spoke. Everything was nerve-wrecking. The way Kyuhyun sat across from him was so guarded; arms crossed over his chest and just staring at him in a way that unnerved Zhou Mi. Zhou Mi did his best to try to hide the obvious anxiety that this was causing him. 

They sat across from each other with minutes of silence dragging on only to be broken by the waitress coming back to take their drink orders - just water for Zhou Mi but a glass of wine for Kyuhyun - and their food orders in due time. Kyuhyun’s drawn out sips of his wine were an excruciatingly painful thing when he kept staring at Zhou Mi and all that Zhou Mi could do was either try to meet his gaze or avoid it since this meeting had seemed so doomed from the get go. 

“I really do hate when the company asks me to deal with you rookies,” Kyuhyun said suddenly, startling Zhou Mi mid gulp of his water. “You said you were a fan of mine. Are you still one?”

Zhou Mi noticed the wicked grin that had formed on Kyuhyun’s lips. It was painfully obvious that Kyuhyun had at least remembered all too well how their first meetings had gone. Zhou Mi sighed and gingerly put his cup of water down on the table. “Well, seeing as I have pretty much every album of yours since your second mini album came out, I can’t really say that my admiration is completely gone even with such… uncharismatic meetings.” 

Kyuhyun’s grin faltered for a second before the loud cackling came out. “You’ve got some nerve to call me, the King of Ballads, uncharismatic. But, can’t really say that I care about what you think about me after all. Not like I’m going to go home and cry because one fan doesn’t like who I really am. It’s so uncanny that you of all people came into our company and are suddenly going to be following me around like a puppy in need of attention. I heard your song the other day. Mediocre at best if I’m being honest. I wonder, who wrote it for you? Who produced the sound? Doesn’t really seem like much thought was put into the single.” 

Zhou Mi couldn’t believe the brazenness spouted by Kyuhyun in front of him. He frowned momentarily before catching himself in the act of doing so. This, man. This, Kyuhyun. There was no shadow of the man he had been such a fan of and it was cringeworthy to think that he had to deal with this man tonight no less for whatever amount of time the company had wanted the two to work together. 

Clearing his throat, Zhou Mi caught Kyuhyun’s attention after another drawn out silence in which their food had finally been placed in front of them. “I can’t say that it isn’t a great song or that I fault anyone’s ‘inability’ to not have it be something that everyone could enjoy. I personally love singing it and thought it was a great song when I had first heard it. We all have to start somewhere and grow from the ground up. Fame can come from the facade that we put out to the fans but having people remember us years down the line? That comes from the power and emotion we as singers put into our music. We can only be grateful to everyone that made the song a reality and from then on, the attention we get from the audience is the only reward that we can take away from it.” 

Kyuhyun sniggered into his drink, “it’s funny to see just how bright and shiny your outlook on this industry is. Take it from me, kid, this world will be merciless to you and the fans ruthless. The company only uses our talents for their means to make money and your artistic freedom will be overruled by whatever the higher ups say is best. The manner in which you are so oblivious to the bad of this career is staggeringly hilarious. Watching you fall through the cracks is going to be so entertaining…” 

 

Zhou Mi wasn’t sure what he had expected from the dinner he had just thankfully had to excuse himself from but by the way the tears had threatened to make their way out of his eyes, it definitely was not to be shown just how unscrupulous his role model was in person. 

°°°°°

No matter where Kyuhyun looked, Zhou Mi had a tendency to follow him even outside of the halls of the company’s building. He had been at home when he decided to check on the latest entertainment show only to groan at the sight of Zhou Mi’s name flashing under a clip of his music video as it announced that he would be there after the break. Kyuhyun had been drinking some tea to try to stop his head from screaming at him after all the wine he had downed last night after Zhou Mi left and he remained to enjoy his meal. The way Zhou Mi’s gaze stood proudly against him and faltered the second Kyuhyun had finished off his monologues stuck with him long after Zhou Mi had conveniently been called away for whatever inane thing he did as a rookie. As the show continued after it’s break, Kyuhyun thought that with how their meetings kept happening, he wasn’t really sure of what the kid would say in regards to him if it was ever mentioned that he was a big fan of Kyuhyun’s. 

“So, Zhou Mi, your debut seems to be making quite the splash! Your single, ‘Mine,’ has been making the rounds just about everywhere these days!” 

Zhou Mi’s smile shined as the hosts gushed over him. 

“We hear that one of your biggest inspirations musically has been Cho Kyuhyun,” a short clip of Kyuhyun’s latest MV played for a few seconds, earning a huge grin from Kyuhyun as he watched himself, and his music continued playing in the background as the hosts continued to talk about him. Kyuhyun watched as Zhou Mi nods yet shifts ever so slightly in his seat. The discomfort clearly there but he’s trying his best to remain professional.

“Yes. I’ve been an avid fan of Mr. Cho since my teen years. He was the reason why I began going to karaoke every night after school to try to sing along to his songs and eventually got my enthusiasm noticed enough by my mother to suggest that I take singing lessons,” he laughed at the memory and chuckled soon after because of another inane memory that had wandered out of his mouth soon after. 

“Are there any hopes of ever having a stage or duet with your idol?” The female host beamed at the thought as her co-host mentioned it. 

“Ah… With Mr. Cho? No, that wouldn’t be possible.” Zhou Mi shook his head, “it’s an impossible dream and far too much of me to ask for.” 

Damn right, Kyuhyun thought and stared at Zhou Mi as the conversation continued to center about the duet and mostly Kyuhyun himself. That kid, is he blushing at every mention of my name? The interview went on for far too long and left on the note that the female co-host wished all the luck in the world to Zhou Mi with his career and with hopes for that duet in the not so distant future. 

“Duet my ass!” Kyuhyun yelled as the remote to the tv went flying just mere inches from it and it exploded to pieces where it landed against the wall. 

°°°°°

“A duet!” Zhou Mi laughed as he slid into the seat of the car besides his manager. “A duet! With Cho Kyuhyun!” 

“Well, it was in your dream list up until recently,” Jinsoo meekly spoke up. 

Zhou Mi’s hold on the bag of gifts that had been gathered from his fans after the show tightened. The dreams of ever being in a budding friendship with Kyuhyun had been trampled on so hard with each passing day. He both feared and looked forward to whatever was in store to being “under the wings” of Cho Kyuhyun. There was too much to look forward to. Promotions for his single were nearing their ending run and, with management so pleased at the outcome of his debut, the whispers on the sidelines about a possible mini album coming up as soon as possible were becoming more noticeable. Zhou Mi’s heart stuttered momentarily as he thought of Kyuhyun’s snarky hopes of his failing in the music industry. 

“I’ll show him. I’ll make it bigger than he can ever imagine.” 

Jinsoo was looking at him, noticing the freshly lit fire that was starting to build under his hopes, his dreams. The sound of the car beeping behind them in disapproval of their overstay after that red light was silenced only by Zhou Mi leaning over the console and blasting his song which both of them wound up singing along with horribly into the car for no one but themselves. They looked forward to taking the music industry by storm.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Progress and a breaking point meet the dear artists who are doing their best to keep going in their world.

“Cut! Let’s try again from the top!” 

Yes, Zhou Mi’s pronunciation of the Korean language still felt like it was lacking greatly. Especially to him. It was a constant reminder from everyone even if most of the comments he had heard recently had been praising him for how his accent was starting to become less obvious. 

“Here, just continue to drink something nice for your throat.” Jinsoo was an especially loved presence to Zhou Mi. He was the one that often calmed his nerves and offered valuable tips on how to behave according to certain situations. Jinsoo had been in the industry for the better half of his golden years, dealing with rowdy artist after artist until he lucked out on the one artist that actually treated him like a human being instead of just an intermediary between singer and company. 

Zhou Mi’s hands wrapped around the pleasantly warm cup of tea and he hummed a thanks to Jinsoo as he paid rapt attention to the way that Jinsoo pronounced certain words. 

“You’re very close to getting that word perfect. It’s just finding the correct rhythm and tone and it’ll be under your belt soon enough.” 

With a smile and a shake of Jinsoo’s hand as it was extended to him, Zhou Mi watched as Jinsoo remained mostly on the sidelines behind the producers as the music began to play once again in his ears. This time around, his main single was to be about losing a love that was so close to being perfect. The company had decided to continue along with the route of making him “the prince of ballads” to Kyuhyun’s “king of ballads.” It would be better advertisement but Zhou Mi was more thrilled that the song that he was going to perform alongside it for music shows was going to be more upbeat. In general, his upcoming mini-album was going to explore a lighter attitude to test the waters with the listeners. 

After far too long hours of laying down the vocals for a few songs, Zhou Mi was all but plowing down Jinsoo as he flailed at him in relief to be free again. “Jinsoooooo~ I want some comfort food,” Zhou Mi pouted at his manager as Jinsoo was trying his best to keep upright and holding both of them up. 

“Do you want some soups or a certain meal in general?” Jinsoo asked as he slid into the car and turned to Zhou Mi before putting the keys in the ignition.

“I want all the soju! And fried chicken! All the fried things!”

Jinsoo sighed and sent a half hearted glare at Zhou Mi. “That's not comfort food.”

“It is for me! It's a reward. I've been working so hard these last few days and we have a break in between. Let's get wasted, Jin!”

As he turned to get the car started, Jinsoo quickly gave into Zhou Mi's ridiculous demands. “One of us has to make sure your drunk butt gets home safely without making too much of a scene.”

Zhou Mi's pout had always been a prominent enemy that Jinsoo had learned by now to try his best to ignore and this was one of the times that Zhou Mi's lip had protruded so far out and gone excessively ignored. “But it's no fun drinking by myself,” Zhou Mi bemoaned.

“Call someone up. I'm sure someone should be available from the company at this time.”

Zhou Mi flicked a button on his phone to see that it was 1 AM. Clicking his way towards his contact list, he scrolled down the seemingly endless list of names until he stopped at a certain one that made him smile and quickly made sure to press the button that would begin the call. He waited a few seconds as he was greeted by the ringback tone to his friend before being greeted by a warm tone.

“Hey, Mi! What grants me the honor of a late night call? It better not be your drunk ass trying to beg me for a booty call.”

Zhou Mi's laughter was suddenly raucous at the thought of being someone's booty call. “Henry! I don't understand what would even cause you to think this of me,” he said softly, all innocence. 

“Listen, the only reason why I get late night calls is never for anything innocent,” Henry laughed on his end of the line. “What's up?”

“I just finished recording for the night and I want to celebrate and get a little bit wasted but Jinsoo is being a party pooper and he doesn't want to drink with me,” he nudged at Jinsoo’s arm lightly and laughed at Jinsoo's growl at him for causing the momentary swerving of the car. 

“Man, well, I guess I'll have to find my ways to seduce you another time then,” Henry laughed indignantly. “Same place as usual?”

°°°°°

By the time that Henry had finally made his way to the “clandestine meeting spot” as Zhou Mi had called it, he pulled the plastic curtain that shielded the eatery outside and was greeted by Zhou Mi’s insanely bright smile.

“Finally,” Jinsoo started, “he’s been smiling at every coming customer expecting it to be you and starting to get a little bit intimidating to the customers.” 

“I am not intimidating!” Zhou Mi half yelled. “Just ask the ahjumma and the customers if they mind the big smile welcoming them in. You didn’t mind, did you?” He asked, turning around to a table of business suit clad gentlemen who only laughed and cheered at Zhou Mi in their drunken stupor as well. 

“One should only be invited in this way while meeting friends!” One enthusiastically said as he was clinging tightly to another. 

“It starts off the night well! Hey! Ahjumma! Let this wonderful gentleman have a round on us!” Another continued as the group’s cheer became far too loud in the tent. 

Henry simply laughed along with the group as he scooted into his seat. “Jeez and here I was expecting a quiet night.” 

“What quiet! Let’s all drink away the stress and worry and all the unhappy feelings that work brings us!” Zhou Mi’s voice was more than a few octaves higher than was really necessary but that also encouraged the businessmen to get rowdy and start a singing session along with their cheering. 

The ahjumma could only raise an eyebrow at the noisy atmosphere. As long as they didn’t get too unruly, anything was okay in her book since it only brought in better business. 

“I take it you’re doing well with your album?” Henry inquired as he watched Zhou Mi take shot after shot of soju. 

Zhou Mi’s face brightened up immensely once again before he draped a shoulder over Henry’s smaller frame. “We have three songs down! And soooo much to do still but but! I’m still so nervous about recording the title song. And the pop song to go along with it! How is being a pop singer?” 

“Tiring,” Henry smiled honestly. “There’s so much choreography to learn and I’ve seen how you dance, Mi. You’re going to struggle a bit.” 

“Don’t say that!” Zhou Mi pouted but made sure to grab a cup of soju that Jinsoo had handed him and practically shoved it down Henry’s throat. “Give me lessons! Be my teacher in your spare time, please~” 

“Teach him!” The group behind them who had rested rather quiet for a while suddenly burst out in song and Zhou Mi wound up joining them and that wound up making the three of them joining their group and leaving Zhou Mi and Henry rather intoxicated by the end of their meeting. 

°°°°°

Jinsoo had made sure that Henry had gotten safely in a taxi and pulled his excruciatingly tall artist along to the appropriate apartment in a rather giggly manner that wound up having security called upon them before they even got to Zhou Mi’s place.

“Okay, just drink up and take this and sleep? You’re lucky that we won’t do any recording for a couple of days but you really need to control your drinking habits, Mi,” Jinsoo said as he carefully placed Zhou Mi in his favored sitting spot on the loveseat. 

That was about the last that Zhou Mi remembered that night. Jinsoo scolding but carefully making sure that he was left comfortable. He had many a dream in that small time frame he had passed out. As he woke up before getting himself ready and meandered to his bedroom, he went to fill up his cup with water and proceeded to do his nightly routines to get himself cleaned up.

Sliding into his bed and pressing play on his DVD player, Zhou Mi thought of how he always knew that he had a very stubborn heart. Especially when he found himself comfortably cuddling the pillow on his lap, his back comfortably against a rather spectacular sea of pillows behind him on his bed as he watched one of his favorite performances by Kyuhyun. As much as he hated to admit, even with all the rough meetings with the other man, Kyuhyun’s performances and guest appearances in shows were the highlights of his rougher days. How, just how was it that this glorious man with the dulcet tones was the same jerk that couldn’t even stand the sight of him? Zhou Mi clung on to the pillow tighter as he tried to push away the discordant meetings that pulled his heart apart. 

On the screen, the MC had introduced Zhou Mi’s favorite song which made him instantly perk up and sit at the edge of his bed. This glorious man, Zhou Mi smiled as he remembered how just a few days after this performance, it was the first time that Zhou Mi had had the chance to go see him in person at the very first fan meeting he had attended. Zhou Mi remembered being so scared when he had the chance to stand in front of Kyuhyun that day. He clung on to his album so tightly and just about melted when Kyuhyun took the sight of him in. 

 

“My! It’s so rare to see young males in these events,” Kyuhyun smiled up at him. “And you’re so tall too!” 

Zhou Mi tried his best to kick start his deadened heart thanks to that smile. He gulped as he nodded and wailed internally as his voice had decided to abandon him in that instant. Zhou Mi watched as Kyuhyun’s expectant eyes smiled some more at him and then reached out with his hand for the album that he had been expected to sign. 

“Oh. This album? I don’t get a lot of people who want me to sign this,” Kyuhyun looked at the album front and back before settling back on Zhou Mi’s gaze. “Is there a particular reason for this album…”

“Zhou Mi.”

“Oh? Chinese? Interesting. There’s a few Chinese fans who come from time to time to see me. It’s great that you guys take such a long journey to come see me.” 

Zhou Mi gulped before he found his voice. “It was, a birthday present. Album is very special to me,” he admitted before wilting back to his wallflower persona. Every time that Kyuhyun looked up at him and smiled at him, he felt like Kyuhyun had inadvertently taken years off of Zhou Mi’s life. 

“Thank you so much for coming to see me, really.” Kyuhyun handed the tall and lanky Zhou Mi the album he had just signed and without a second thought, took one his hands to shake. “Thank you, Zhou Mi.” 

Zhou Mi could feel his poor face heat up and had pretty much given himself up for dead as Kyuhyun had shaken his hand unexpectedly. The blush took over him so harshly that he did an incredible amount of bowing on his way out of the venue. He hadn’t noticed what Kyuhyun had signed to him until he had wandered out of the theater, starstruck beyond belief. 

“Zhou Mi, may this album give you the strength it gave me as I made it.” And in very messy Mandarin, a thank you was written there as well. 

As the song on the TV screen ended, Zhou Mi stared at the signed album in his Kyuhyun shelf. He slowly stood up and went to pick it up and carried back to his bed. Zhou Mi fell asleep hearing Kyuhyun talking in the background and holding on to his treasured album tightly. 

 

°°°°°

“You want me to what?” 

“Kyuhyun, we would like for you to consider having a duet with Zhou Mi.” 

This couldn’t be. Just what exactly had Kyuhyun done wrong in his past life to deserve this type of treatment from his own company? A company with whom he has spent the greater part of over a decade with, the one who benefited the most from his singing. Kyuhyun’s hands fisted at his sides, he had to calm down. Had to continue to put on his show. 

“It won’t be for his album, of course, but since that interview with Zhou Mi happened, a lot of the media actually has perked up and has made several requests to have it become a reality for both Zhou Mi and their stations. The bidding wars have started to get to ridiculous heights and just, please consider it?” 

Kyuhyun stared at the older man, the CEO of the company. He had to grit his teeth and control all of his anger internally. Of course it would come to this. One stupid suggestion and here he was having to kowtow to the wishes others had for a damned rookie. He looked at Gook who stood besides him before he started to pace about in the office. 

“What will I get out of this?” 

“Ex-excuse me?” 

“You can’t simply expect for me to do this out of the charitable heart I have,” he took in a deep breath and remained silent for a few minutes. “I will consider it only if you rush my next album to come out sooner.” 

The CEO could only stare incredulously at Kyuhyun. This had been one of the few times that Kyuhyun had ever dared to rebel against him so it was still something that he wasn’t completely used to. He wasn’t aware at all of the type of person that Kyuhyun could truly be. Clearing his throat as he noticed the way Kyuhyun stood calmly in front of him, sticking to his ground, he pulled on a scheduler to see the upcoming plans for releases. “I can... How about a couple of weeks after Zhou Mi’s release? Would that be good for you?” 

It was even better than he had expected, actually. With a gentle smile, Kyuhyun nodded at the CEO. “I’ll think about it. But you better get that team gathered and get started on the work because this comeback is going to be loud and messy for everyone involved with it.” Without any further words, Kyuhyun exited the room leaving Gook to bow in his stead and thank the CEO. 

“You’re seriously thinking of going against Zhou Mi right as his debut is going to properly happen?” Gook asked, hard of breath as he caught up with Kyuhyun. 

“Why not? He needs to be taught how the business world works and how he really shouldn’t get in the way of my career as much as he’s starting to get in the middle of it.” He was tired of being pushed around and dragged about by the others especially now that everyone knew that he was the one that Zhou Mi had looked up to so eagerly. He needed to remind everyone who it was exactly that brought in the big bucks to the company. 

°°°°°

The seasonal party for the company had finally approached. Many had gathered to congratulate their artists, both singers and actors. A variety of other company’s CEOs had also joined in the fray as they were the ones that supported certain artists through their brands and this had, after all, been more than a giant circle jerk for everyone to celebrate the fact that everyone had money in their pockets thanks to the actual talent. Or so this is how Kyuhyun had always seen things to be. 

He sat in an area with many of his favorite colleagues, his right arm happily draped around the shoulder of his best friend and everyone just laughing at the jokes and anecdotes that everyone was sharing. It was a good night. A great night, even. Hours went on and he had found himself in a state of alcoholic bliss that had him appreciating everything and everyone that he had come to despise over the years he had worked here. Everything was cool. Everything was perfect yet… 

As Zhou Mi had suddenly arrived at the party, Kyuhyun was more than clearly glaring at the newcomer to the room. He watched as Zhou Mi bowed and shook the hands of many of the company’s higher-ups and downed more cups of soju in a more urgent manner. From the corner of his eye, he could spot Zhou Mi laughing away at surely bland conversation and the mumbling under his breath was seemingly becoming louder by the manner that Gook kept elbowing him on his ribs. 

“Chill out, Kyuhyun. Don’t put on a show for the executives right now.”

With the night dwindling into the early hours of morning, many had either passed out in their spots or had been dragged out by juniors in the company yet he still remained there. As cool, calm and collected as could be even if he did have a bit of alcohol in his system. Not that Kyuhyun had been watching closely or anything. Zhou Mi had long ago acknowledged Kyuhyun’s presence and even went to make small talk with him for a brief moment before he was pulled away - thankfully. And there he was suddenly smiling at Kyuhyun who wasn’t aware that he was staring at Zhou Mi for a while now. 

Kyuhyun watched as Zhou Mi stood from his seat and with a few short strides, he was standing in front of him, bowing once again and with that insufferably loud smile plastered on his lips again. 

“I’m glad to see you’re having fun tonight, Mr. Cho. I hear that you’ll be coming around to oversee some of my recording sessions soon? I’ll be looking forward to hearing your feedback gratefully.” 

Kyuhyun watched quietly as Gook had invited Zhou Mi to sit and have a drink with them. “No.” 

Zhou Mi and Gook both turned to look at him quickly. 

“You are not allowed to join us here. Why are you here? Why is it that no matter how hard I try to avoid you within the company, you’re still pretty damned much everywhere? I’m sick and tired of having to deal with you at every second of my life. What in the world did I do to deserve having you following me around like an unwanted shadow? Can you not see that this is all a publicity stunt to get your name out there with my success? That having to deal with your work is actually taking me away from everything that I could be doing to take my career farther away from yours?”

“I-I’m sorry to hear that I’m being an inconvenience to you,” Zhou Mi stuttered. Kyuhyun watched as Zhou Mi’s body language suddenly became heavily guarded. 

“... out.” 

“Kyuhyun—”

“Get out! Why am I stuck with you of all people? Go! Leave! I don’t care about you or your career! Just fucking leave!” It was the alcohol, for sure, that fueled Kyuhyun’s sudden anger. And the fact that, to prove his point in not wanting to have to deal with Zhou Mi right there and then, Kyuhyun had chucked an empty cup just mere inches away from Zhou Mi’s face. It crashed on the floor behind Zhou Mi, Gook making sure to take hold of Kyuhyun for Zhou Mi’s safety. 

“Just go, kid.” Gook watched the shock written on Zhou Mi’s face and as his manager, Jinsoon was it?, pulled him out of the room quickly. 

“Stop interfering with my business, Gook!”

“I will when you stop acting like such an insufferable child. How old are you again, Kyuhyun? And just how exactly do you think this is acceptable behaviour of someone with your fame?” 

“Fuck off!” 

“Kindly!”

All Kyuhyun needed was for those that were supposed to be on his side to turn on him. Again. Just like he did not too long ago. He who fucked up just about every good thing in his seemingly perfect life. He who he had found himself dialing, finally as soon as he had garnered enough space away from everyone in that stupid party. Kyuhyun waited for the line to connect him directly to voicemail, as expected. “You know what? You’re a bastard. You fucking took every good year of my life and destroyed it and me along with it. Why the fuck did you ever think of even involving me in your life if you were just going to cast me aside so easily? I was getting to be a boring fuck? Well fuck you! You weren’t that great yourself,” he was lying. Lying as he leaned against the wall of an empty hallway and started to sob. “Why wasn’t I good enough for you? Why was it her that you had to run off to when you had the chance to? You’re a bastard. You—” 

The world seemed to have spun out of Kyuhyun’s hands. He fell to the floor only a couple of minutes after starting his call. On the other side of the building, Jinsoo was trying his best to once again console Zhou Mi who, despite his best efforts, kept getting crushed by simple words that shouldn’t matter to him as much. Words that have nothing to do with the joy and happiness his career is bringing for him. Words he wished he didn’t have to hear coming from his mouth...

°°°°°

Kyuhyun was woken up by a knock to his door which sounded far too loud in his ears. He cringed at the way both his head and his muscles hurt from the horrible position he had been dumped in on his couch. After taking a sip of water and downed the pain pill that had been left on the table, he winced again as the knocking resumed. “I'll be right there,” he groaned at the door. Whoever it was that Kyuhyun had been expecting to find at his door would have been anyone but him. Him of the newly short and stylishly coiffed brown hair. Of the dark brown and deep eyes that seemed to carry far too much emotion for one person to have in them. The one who had kept Kyuhyun to be nothing more than a surreptitious lover and dumped at the first sign of something better in an instant.

He who was now leaning against the frame of Kyuhyun's doorway and watching as the tears quickly swelled up in Kyuhyun's eyes. “Why did you call me?”

Kyuhyun smiled, even through the warm smile and dull ache in his chest. “You came. Actually came,” Kyuhyun went to pull at the sleeve of his guest and pulled him further into his loft. The sigh that he heard behind him as his guest tugged the door to close it behind him made his heart shudder. After all this time. Still. It wasn't planned to be like this. Kyuhyun hadn't expected him to actually come see him after that rambling voicemail he had left in his drunken stupor. 

“Still enjoying drinking a bit too much, I see.” Even his voice seemed different and Kyuhyun could all but chuckle away the diss from his former lover.

“I've been working hard. I'm sure you've heard about it. Even we famous folk deserve a drink as a reward after overcoming obstacles.”

The man tipped his head and simply stared at Kyuhyun who was having a hard time trying to come up with ways to keep the conversation going. 

“Do you want a drink maybe?” Kyuhyun asked and was replied to by his guest taking out a cigarette from his pocket, placing it swiftly on his mouth and seemed expectant of Kyuhyun to light it for him. “Have you been well?” He indulged his guest in lighting the cigarette with the lighter he still kept close at hand and watched as a long drag was taken of the cigarette. The sharp eyes hadn't left him once. 

With the release of the smoke from his mouth, the man had taken Kyuhyun by the neck of his shirt. Watching the way that Kyuhyun's eyes shot wide open in surprise yet softened almost immediately as he leaned up, asking for a kiss. 

The kiss was as messy and desperate as Kyuhyun had felt when he made that call after watching Zhou Mi storm out of the room. His frustrations had hit the literal ceiling in his life and the only thing that seemed to calm him was by clinging so tightly to this man he still stubbornly loved. There was no denying that, not really. Not with the way that he often stared at his phone after a long day, that name mocking him and he never pressed the button to start the call. Message, upon message piled up in his unsent folder. He was, after all, the sentimental fool who had written those countless ballads that won over the public so. The man in whose arms he was currently tangled in was the reason why so many of those songs were written. And he knew that. 

The tears in Kyuhyun's eyes suddenly started and gained speed as the kisses got deeper and demanding. Kyuhyun felt as his shirt was being pulled away from his body. As those hands softly caressed his back while he continued to clutch on to the back of the other man's shirt. You're being foolish, his head blared at him but he paid it no mind. Not when Kyuhyun's hands were buried on the man's hair as he destroyed Kyuhyun with mere kisses to his neck. The alarms grew louder as they were both headed towards Kyuhyun's room. As Kyuhyun sat on the edge of the bed and leaned his head up to be kissed while the man took his time to get rid of his own shirt. Kyuhyun mumbled his name countless of times. Rearranging themselves higher on the bed felt furtive in the midst of all those kisses. Kyuhyun tugged at the button on the pants of his companion as the man did the same in turn to him. The kisses tasted of alcohol and nicotine. It was a habit that disgusted Kyuhyun but felt like it was something he had been missing the taste of for too long. But it was the taste beneath the nicotine that he craved the most and when he finally felt the touch of skin against skin on top of him, he was once again lost to his feelings and every emotion that this man brought along with him. 

 

The scent of nicotine mixed with the scent of sex drifted about in the room. Kyuhyun's guest sat leaning on the headboard to Kyuhyun's bed as the took drag after drag of his cigarette. This was the last time, he swore. “Stop being so foolish, Kyuhyun,” he uttered and abolished the five years of relationship that the two shared as he walked away from Kyuhyun's place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My gosh! Kyuhyun is a tough character to get through but still so fun to write? Thank you for wandering and sticking around for this fic! I hope it give it as much life as I have for it in my notes D: Hopefully Mr. Grouchy Pants Cho will soften soon enough? But Mi’s career is starting to bloom even if he isn’t aware of the bad lurking away from him D: Thanks again!

**Author's Note:**

> Ah! My first fic here comes in the form of a Qmi that I have had notes on for months and ideas that wouldn't let me be. I can only hope that whatever comes out of this is as great as the ideas I have for it. Thank you for reading!


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